Buhari paying lip service to anti-corruption war - CSOs
Acoalition of civil society organisations under the auspices of Say No Campaign (SNC) has accused President Muhammadu Buhari of paying lip service to the anticorruption war.
Leaders of the coalition told newsmen yesterday in Abuja that the refusal of the President to act on corruption cases involving his personal and political aides; deliberately undermines the nation’s quest to rid the polity of corruption.
The leaders are Co-Convener of SNC, Ezenwa Nwagwu, Centre for Transparency and Accountability (CTA), Executive Director Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC) Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Executive Director Protest to power (P2P) Jaye Gaskia, Peering Advocacy and Advancement Centre in Africa (PAACA) and the Executive Director Youths Initiative for Advocacy Growth and Advancement (YIAGA) Samson Itodo.
They also launched the #Dorocorruption, a live radio programme to sensitize the masses on issues of corruption, encouraging public participation in ensuring good governance and providing the platform for constructive engagement with stakeholders in the anticorruption fight.
“The report of the outcome of the investigation headed by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo submitted to President Buhari on allegations of fraud against the Director General of National Intelligence Agency, Ayo Oke, has remained a secret despite the humongous amount of $43million involved in the scam.
“Similar investigation was carried out on the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, David Babachir Lawal. The report was submitted to the president, but the details have also remained hidden. Babachir Lawal was accused by the Senate for scamming the government of a whooping N270million in the guise of cutting grass at the Internal Displaced Persons’ camp, in the northeast region of Nigeria.
“What remain unclear is why the president instituted an investigation panel to conduct the investigation, and why the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) was not directed to handle the cases,” the group said.
They wonder why the Inspector General of Police Ibrahim Idris accused by Senator Isah Misau of embezzling police funds was not suspended and investigated but that the government decided to take Senator Misau to court.
“What is even worrisome is that the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) would take on the task of suing on behalf of an individual against another individual even when the issue is on an individual.
They also lamented that the legislature who ought to prioritize the efforts were busy trying to muzzle civil society through the NGO Bill and chose to sit on the Proceeds of Crime Bill, the Whistle Blower Bill, and the Corporate Corruption Bill otherwise known as the Bribecode Bill among others.